Area Team - Leadership

I joined Scouting as a Cub Scout and was also in the Sea Cadets before joining the Royal Navy. Since then, I’ve spent much of my adult life overseas and been a section leader on Ascension Island and in Oman plus various group, district and county roles in my hometown of London and also in Gloucestershire. BSO is a very unique part of UK Scouting and I was super proud to be appointed as Area Commissioner in 2019.

Outside of Scouts, I’m now a civil servant, married, with a grown-up daughter who lives in the USA and we have a lazy sausage dog who runs our house! I love meeting and helping people plus all things outdoors, travel, adventure, sailing and camping. I also play the trumpet, bugle and ukulele... On camp, can be found playing a mixture of all three at about 7am most mornings! 

I started my Scouting life as a Cub Leader before changing to Beaver Scout Leader and was one of the first groups in Warrington to start the section.  I have held many roles in Warrington and Cheshire at Group, District and County Level.

Outside of Scouting I am a trustee for a dog fundraising team who raise funds for Spaniels all over the world.  This is all done online using Facebook.  I am also a member of Rock Choir and have joined Rock & Sign where we are learning to sign the songs we learn at choir so that next year when out on gigs we can sign to our audience.

I’ve been active in Scouting since I joined as a Cub, progressing through all the sections at my group, 2nd Inverness (Kingsmills) becoming a leader in 2002.  I was delighted to be appointed GSL  in 2016 whilst continuing with the Scout Section, after several years holding District and Regional roles.

In my role as Deputy AC (Perception), I lead our team who promote BSO through our social channels, communicate with our members as well as managing our heritage of British Scouting outside the UK.

I have been a Scout for as long as I can remember, starting as a Cub Scout and moving through the sections to Venture Scouts where I gained the Queen’s Scout Award. My BSO role includes looking after programme strand and activities.

I really like to get on the water and am qualified as RYA Sailing Schemes and  RYA Powerboat Trainer. I am a DofE Assessor and Supervisor and have looked after expeditions both on the water and on the land. I also love camping and getting onto the hills and just generally being in the outdoors!

I started Scouting in 1st Salmiya Kuwait group in the Middle East District as a Cub, then Scout, Explorer and eventually Young Leader. Later moving into the Northern Europe District as DDYC and then DYC (as well as Network member!).

Outside of Scouting, I go to Loughborough University and am studying International Relations (although currently on a placement year working in internal communications and global campaigns).

I’m really excited to be BSO’s first Area Youth Commissioner, working alongside Alex, the DYC’s and Area team to develop Youth Led Scouting across the Area. 😊

Scouting has been a key part of my life having been a member since 1971. Along my Scouting journey highlights have included the achievement of the Queens Scout Award and the award of an Explorer Belt and having the chance to attend a number of World Jamboree's

For the last 20 years my Scouting has been outside of the UK, living in the Middle East and taking various roles with BSO and Scouts BSA

I love walking, power boating and outdoor activities in general and I volunteer with a number of organizations and charities both Scouting and non Scouting related.

I am happy to be rejoining the BSO Area Team and to take on the role to lead the delivery of the new Transformation strategy

I started my scouting journey in 2009 as a parent helper driving the group minibus then having caught the scouting bug I agreed to become the group chairman. Over the years I have taken many roles including acting Group Scout Leader, District Chairman, and County administrator. 

In my day-to-day life, I spend my time between Germany and the UK as the Chief Operations Officer for an International manufacturing company with bases in India, Germany, and the UK.

I have been living in Dubai for over 25 years and have been scouting since 2013, where I started out as a Cub leader to help out at my sons' group.

As I've watched Dubai grow over the years,  my scouting journey has too where I am currently DC for the Middle East District.

My highlights are camping with 1st Dubai and I have enjoyed being involved in the ME District camps plus representing BSO in a few UK jamborees over the years.

Some of you may know me from 1st KL, where I did most of my Scouting over the past 13 years. I started as parent volunteer, then Cub Leader followed by Scout Leader, Explorer Leader and GSL – most of the time wearing many hats at the same time!

I’ve been back in the UK for a couple of years now, and wanted to stay associated with the District, so when the opportunity to apply for the DC role came up, I thought I would have a go!  And here I am…

Now it’s a very new hat!  I hope I can wear it well! 

I’m really looking forward to this new role, most of all getting to know you all and leading this unique District, helping it grow and continuing to provide fantastic Scouting opportunities for all our young people.

Just to finish, I would like to say a big thank you to Jon for the tremendous work over the last 8 years to bring our District together and get us to where we are now.  You are going to be a hard act to follow, but in true Scouting form, I will do my best!!